Promise Me
by xELMC666x
Summary: Chuck watches Johnny successfully defend his title but the celebration is doesn't start, Johnny is hurt and not responding and doesn't know what is happening. Chuck wants to save him but he knows right now, Johnny needs professional help and Chuck isn't ready to hear what Johnny is saying. Rare Pairing! Johnny Gargano/Chuck Taylor. Warnings: Implied Slash. Male x Male relationship.


Promise Me

Summary: Chuck watches Johnny successfully defend his title but the celebration is doesn't start, Johnny is hurt and not responding and doesn't know what is happening. Chuck wants to save him but he knows right now, Johnny needs professional help and Chuck isn't ready to hear what Johnny is saying. Rare Pairing! Johnny Gargano/Chuck Taylor. Warnings: Implied Slash. Male x Male relationship. Based on the aftermath of Gargano vs Ricochet in January 2012, at the ECW arena.

DragonGate USA was a place where respect and competition was revered, Johnny had made history here as the first American to hold the Open the Freedom Gate in the popular and quickly becoming illustrious company. He had cried tears of pure joy winning this title and he would do anything to defend it. He wanted each fan to leave each show thoroughly entertained and satisfied. He was wrestling the very last match in the legendary ECW arena, a place where many hardcore wrestling fans held as their holy land of the loudest, angriest and most rabid, opinionated fans in American wrestling. He would push himself to the limit, he was once on the pre-show with his opponent for the evening and here they were shutting the show, fighting for the gold. It had come full circle and not many people got that kind story. He wasn't going to let some niggling aches in his body and especially in his back bother him. He wasn't going to let one fan leave here disappointed.

Chuck watched his younger lover get prepared for the match, his movements were slower and more calculated. He knew whatever Johnny had done to his back was bothering him, he wished the Ohio native wasn't so stubborn. Chuck had already had his match with Rich against the Super Smash Brothers and was watching Johnny mentally and physically prepare his young body for the match against the very acrobatic competitor awaiting him. Chuck caught Johnny's hand, "Be careful."

"I always am," the cheeky grin didn't meet his eyes, they were soulful and full of pain but excitement and determination to have the honour bestowed upon him. "You know what I mean, I want you in one piece," Chuck smiled, Johnny grinned nodding, "Good luck," he ended it with a peck to his lips and Johnny grinned. "I am the luckiest dude on the planet right now, when I win, I am gonna be running to the back to hug you."

"I am going to hold you to that," Chuck smiled, as Rich congratulated Johnny on the way out.

"He's gonna be fine," Rich grinned, his peppy personality showing through.

"He's going to be perfect," Chuck sighed and smiled pushing his hair back, the two found a spot to watch the match to cheer on their friend in his special moment.

Adrenaline is a funny and addictive thing because you feel invincible and you don't realise you are in pain or that you are a mortal. In that second as the endorphins engulf your body, you feel you could jump off Everest feet first and land without smashing every bone in your body and without dying. It's a rush and for the first two minutes of the match, Johnny felt alive, invincible and then he landed, crashed. His body screamed in agony, his head went foggy and his legs felt like they had become concrete, they were dead. In that moment he didn't know if he was paralysed or not, had he landed on his head? Was he actually dead? The match wasn't even close to being finished, he had to reach down into his gut and pull something miraculous out of him to continue taking shots, to fly around, to continue this match without injuring his colleague. In that moment he knew for sure, all he wanted was Chuck. He wanted Dustin, the man behind Chuck Taylor.

Instantly Chuck knew something had happened, Johnny was gripping his legs and feeling them like a baby discovering the appendages for the first time, his eyes were glazed and he didn't seem himself. Chuck wanted to scoop him up and protect him from the world, he wanted to keep him to himself, he wanted to check on his lover, fuck anyone who wanted to hate on them for what they had. Johnny was moving about and it didn't look too obvious that something was wrong, if he was going down, he was going down swinging. Chuck's heart twisted and turned every pinfall attempt, every time Johnny covered Ricochet, he wanted it to be over. He wanted Johnny beside him, Johnny had promised him that he would run to him backstage. **He promised.** Chuck could feel himself getting hysterical the more confused Johnny looked or how laboured he looked in some movements. Things only someone close to him would see, the fans were eating this amazing match up, screaming for more and Johnny would do that with legs or not, with his arm hanging off or with a blindfold on. Come hell or high water.

_24 minutes later..._

_25 minutes later..._

_26 minutes later..._

_27 minutes later..._

Time had gone so slow, it felt like eternity and Chuck jumped for joy as Johnny was victorious, his concern grew as Johnny rolled off Ricochet and didn't move, lying face down on the mat. Chuck grabbed a bottle of water and broke Johnny's promise, **he ran to him**. Rich was behind him, they were in the ring in seconds flat. Johnny didn't register them at first as Chuck poured trickles of water over him.

"Well done dude, time to get up and celebrate." He said half jokingly, hoping his brown eyed beauty could stand and soak in this victory.

"I can't," was the broken reply,

"Try," Chuck urged quietly, putting more water on Johnny, hoping the younger wouldn't panic.

"My legs don't work," Johnny said, his head hadn't moved, Chuck was certain he hadn't taken a bump that would break his neck. Rich tried to soothe Johnny by touching his lower back and the cry of pain that came from the mouth, almost made Chuck break into tears. "Sssh it's gonna be fine," Chuck said, internally wincing as the referee threw up the dreaded X sign. "We're gonna get you to a hospital and it's gonna be fine." Chuck said touching his shoulder.

"I'm scared," Johnny said quietly, the EMTs charged into the ring with precision and moved them out of the way. Tending to the frightened champion, his eyes weren't registering exactly where he was or what was happening. Chuck and Rich stood outside the ring helpless as he was slid under the ropes, strapped to a board unable to move. The fans were in shock, almost silenced by the looks of terror on the people who had crowded the ring.

"We're getting you in an ambulance," the EMT has said to Johnny,

"Dustin, I want Dustin." Johnny croaked, "Dustin." if he said it enough, his lanky lover would appear.

"Who is Dustin?" the EMT asked looking at the roster,

"Me, I'm coming." Chuck said following them into the ambulance, instinctively capturing Johnny's hand in his. The EMT smiled in realisation as he closed the doors of the ambulance. Chuck held onto his hand afraid to let his boy go, Johnny sniffed.

"I'm done for,"

"You aren't dying, you aren't." Chuck said adamantly. "We are gonna get you fixed, you are a champion in and out of the ring, you are being so brave."

"My career is over," Johnny cried, "I can't walk, can't run or jump, I promised you I would run to you but I couldn't even stand."

"Sssh it's fine, we are going to get you all done up nice, make that back of yours stronger than ever." Chuck wasn't sure at this point if he was comforting himself or Johnny. Was he placating the both of them subconsciously? Johnny squeezed his hand tighter and gulped taking in air, his eyes shone with more tears ready to fall. "I love you, I love you so much." he cried, Chuck smiled crying too,

"I love you too, we're gonna get through this."

"I want you to promise me, if they say I can't walk again that you leave me alone, you live your life and live our dream." Johnny said defiantly.

"No John, please don't say that." Dustin sobered up, gone were their ring personalities, it was real and it was raw..

"No, I want you to let me do what I want, I can't burden you and I can't live in a world where I can't do the one thing I could do right. It used to mean the world to me until things changed." Johnny cried.

"What changed?" Chuck asked.

"I met you and fell in love and I rather die than stop you from living the dream Dust, I want you to keep going, I want that last dignity, if I am paralysed I couldn't ask you to wash and change me. I couldn't ask anyone, I couldn't live without wrestling, without being able to make love with you, I rather die, I want to die. I want you to forget me," he sobbed. Dustin held his face gently and kissed him,

"You are not dying, you are gonna walk again and live to defend your title over and over again. You are a fighter. I saw that tonight. Fight for us, fight for wrestling." Dustin cried, "Fight it. I could never forget the best thing that happened to me,"

"I'll fight for you," Johnny cried, "I'll walk again, I have too."

It was like ripping his heart out letting them take Johnny away from him, wrestlers had appeared in the waiting room with him but he didn't register them. His love needed him and he was stuck in this white room of hell. Johnny wanted to die, if he couldn't move he wanted to die, he wanted him to move on and forget him. His heart ached, Johnny was his other half, they went to Japan together, travelled the world, they were inseparable. His heart shattered when he saw the tired looking doctor come into the room, "We have sedated him, he will walk again," Chuck let the tears flow, sobs of happiness. "He needs physio but with the right attitude he will return to the ring." the doctor smiled, "Follow me," he led Chuck from the group and Chuck cried seeing Johnny looking pale in the bed. He sat beside him grabbing his hand gently and kissed it and kissed his cheek.

"I love you so much, more than words can say and I am pretty goofy so I feel like an idiot saying this. I hope you can hear me and remember this. I love you more than anything else but I swear if you scare me like that again you stubborn bastard. I will break your legs myself." Chuck swore in that moment he saw Johnny smirk in his sedation. The mischievous side he fell in love with. His brown eyed boy was still with him. He'd thank his lucky stars every day and he vowed to help Johnny return better than ever. His tag partner, team mate, lover, other half, his missing piece. **His soul mate. **He kissed Johnny's lips gently and rested his head on Johnny's hand listening to the younger breath evenly. Lulling him to a more related state.

_A/N: Inspired by this promo here from DGUSA from Johnny himself and the appearance from Chuck. I love this pairing and there isn't enough of these two on the internet or anywhere. Two talented, funny guys. Just a quick one shot because I couldn't get the plot bunny out of my head! Video is not mine, if it doesn't work. Search Johnny Gargano: The Story of a Champion Fighting Through Injury. Hope you enjoyed this :) _


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